Question:

I can now climb stairs occasionally, but am not supposed to make a steady diet of it.  Therefore, I can get to my computer once or twice a day and check out the happenings in RSG.  For this I am grateful.  I should be able to start swinging a club sometime around May or June and will try to make RSG Atlanta.

Alan, do try to make the RSG Atlanta, it will be good to see you again and I know will enjoy meeting the others as well. David Laville, G.S.E.M. The Golfing Machine Authorized Instructor Contributor of spam free golf advice

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Actually, my best swings were pretty good.  Unfortunately, they were few and far between.  The back pain made it difficult to swing smoothly (I had a tendency to wince) and it also made me tuck my pelvis to reduce the pain. Tucking the pelvis causes one to lose one’s spine angle through impact resulting in a topped shot.  My biggest problem was topped shots.  I sometimes hit a nice straight drive 240 to 250 yds only to top the next shot and watch it go 15 to 20 yds (I did that back in September – 230 yd drive, topped shot 15 yds into fairway bunker, 3rd shot 180 with a 7-wood hit the green and rolled off the back edge – add a chip back on and 2 putts for a double bogie but without the topped shot I’d have had a par and even a birdie could have been in the cards). I tried consciously rotating my pelvis outward while practising on the driving range, but I was only good for about 15 drives before the pain came. So I am now confident that one huge impediment has been removed and a solid, repeatable swing will manifest itself.  I have read a lot about the full swing and seen 400+ hours of golf instruction on The Golf Channel, so I feel I know what I need to do.  I had a few major flaws that were not related to pain (like taking the club too far inside and not allowing the club to fall, but instead hitting from the top) and I wanted to work them out on the range, but the pain kept me from hitting more than about 30 balls just before surgery. My lifetime best score was 129 but I am certain in my head that I will break 100 before the year is over and that breaking 90 is not out of the question. CA Remove NoSpam to email me directly.

I’m not surprised you had trouble with your swing, since I never thought much of Elvis as a golfer anyway. He did have decent hip motion, but it was — David RSG Roll Call http://rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=sneddond email:  dsneddon  AT attcanada DOT ca

Response:

snip It’d be nice if you could report on here whether Pelz’s material helped you out or not once you’re well enough to start practicing.  I wanted to pick up a copy of his book, but it looks so intimidating tome with its thickness.

I read all of the Short Game Bible and about 2/3 of the Putting Bible.  They are fascinating books.  Some info is a bit esoteric, but I do not think any of it is difficult to grasp.  I’d simply like to consciously work at the drills Pelz recommends rather than approaching it in a haphazard fashion.  I think both of these are excellent books and would highly recommend them to anybody interested in improving their game. snip I hope that you soon you swing a club like you used to…or is that a good thing?

You didn’t even need the smiley face, in my case it was not such a good thing and I trust that now I will swing much better … Actually, my best swings were pretty good.  Unfortunately, they were few and far between.  The back pain made it difficult to swing smoothly (I had a tendency to wince) and it also made me tuck my pelvis to reduce the pain. Tucking the pelvis causes one to lose one’s spine angle through impact resulting in a topped shot.  My biggest problem was topped shots.  I sometimes hit a nice straight drive 240 to 250 yds only to top the next shot and watch it go 15 to 20 yds (I did that back in September – 230 yd drive, topped shot 15 yds into fairway bunker, 3rd shot 180 with a 7-wood hit the green and rolled off the back edge – add a chip back on and 2 putts for a double bogie but without the topped shot I’d have had a par and even a birdie could have been in the cards). I tried consciously rotating my pelvis outward while practising on the driving range, but I was only good for about 15 drives before the pain came. So I am now confident that one huge impediment has been removed and a solid, repeatable swing will manifest itself.  I have read a lot about the full swing and seen 400+ hours of golf instruction on The Golf Channel, so I feel I know what I need to do.  I had a few major flaws that were not related to pain (like taking the club too far inside and not allowing the club to fall, but instead hitting from the top) and I wanted to work them out on the range, but the pain kept me from hitting more than about 30 balls just before surgery. My lifetime best score was 129 but I am certain in my head that I will break 100 before the year is over and that breaking 90 is not out of the question. CA Remove NoSpam to email me directly. Troll intolerant.  I took the RSG 2002 Pledge.

Response:

Hope all goes well in your recovery.  I am watching the recovery of my golfing buddy and cousin who was shot in the leg last November.  He suffered extensive damage to his femur (lost 5 inches of bone out of that!), but is determined to golf with me this summer.  Docs and x-rays show he is making remarkable progress considering his age.  In the meantime I am constructing a new driver for him, kind of like an incentive for him to get better.  I’ve got a Dynacraft  SP700 10* head (beautiful colour of blue) mated with a UST pro75 shaft (yes it is spine-aligned).  It seems like you have no lack of incentive or determination either.  Keep it up and get well soon!!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ok – a full 4 weeks has elapsed since I went under the knife.  I have been cleared to go back to work on Monday and that is something I am looking forward to. I have watched a good deal of The Golf Channel and although in mid-afternoon it is mostly infomercials, there has been plenty of Leadbetter, McClean, Reinmuth, et al to keep my swing active in my mind.  I am also finishing Pelz’s Putting Bible and plan to re-read the Short Game Bible.  When I get back to practicing my game, I will be working with less than a full swing initially so I intend to create a practice schedule taken from the two Pelz books.  When I am more able-bodied, I will engage in full swings at the range. I had not had much pain the last few weeks, but I do have some sciatica related to the trauma to the nerve in the decompression process of the surgery plus the edema that results from having your back muscles sliced open and held apart for 5